The Responsible One
by RumbleintheDumbles
Summary: When an integral member of the team is ill, Ruby panics, Blake sees an opportunity, and it's once again left up to Yang to deal with things. Yep, it's just like being back at home.


**A/N: Just a mildly fun one-shot that fits my personal head-canon for Yang.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY, Rooster Teeth own RWBY.**

* * *

 **"YAAAAAAAAAAAANG!"**

The panicked cry of her sister was so loud it actually drowned out the music Yang Xaio Long had been playing through her headphones, at full volume. She fell out of her bed in shock as she looked up at Ruby – the younger girl looked panic-stricken and was clutching onto their pet Corgi as though if she let him go, she'd lose him forever. Blake, who had been absorbed in a book, peeked her head out curiously.

"Woah, woah," Yang got to her feet, "What's wrong, Rubes?"

Ruby looked about ready to burst into tears. "I DON'T WANT ZWEI TO DIE!"

Yang blinked. "Say what?"

"I-was-walking-him-like-I-always-do-but-when-we-got-to-the-field-where-he-likes-to-run-around-he-didn't-instead-he-just-stood-there-and-whined-and-then-all-of-a-sudden-he-threw-up-and-then-I-panicked-and-grabbed-him-and-ran-back-here!"

Yang took a moment to try and decipher precisely what her younger sibling had just said. "Okay," she scratched her head as she observed the dog, who, for his part, wagged his tail at the attention, "So he was sick when you took him out for a walk."

Ruby nodded frantically.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Blake said solemnly as she appeared at Ruby's side, eagerly holding a shovel.

Ruby started wailing.

"Put that away and stop making things worse," Yang rolled her eyes, "He's not going to die."

Blake frowned. "He looks very dead to me. We should bury him, right away," she paused, then added, "In a very deep grave. At least twenty feet. That's the only way to articulate our respect for his life properly."

"His tail is wagging," Yang dead-panned.

Blake thought it over for a moment."Nervous system," she offered, "Yang, I know this is hard, but you really need to learn to let go."

"Oh, just shoo," Yang grunted, "Go back in your corner and let me deal with this."

"Worth a try," Blake muttered in disappointment, before returning to her bunk and book.

"Right then," Yang cracked her shoulders, "Ruby," she began sternly, "Zwei is going to be _perfectly fine_."

Ruby sniffled. "Really?" She asked hopefully.

"Okay, think of it this way," Yang said calmly, "You've been sick before, right?"

Ruby nodded. "Uhuh."

"And you're _not_ dead, right?" Yang said pointedly.

"...Yeah." Ruby seemed to get where Yang was going with this and started to calm down.

"There's no need to panic just because he was sick," Yang lectured her younger sister, "These things tend to go away on their own. We'll keep an eye on him, and if, after a day or so, he's still bad, we'll take him to the Vet, and see what's wrong. Okay?"

Ruby nodded. "Sorry," she said in embarrassment, "It's just, its the first time something like this has happened since we were living away from home and I panicked."

"I get it," Yang smiled reassuringly, "I do. I get nervous about living away from home sometimes too." Granted, it was mainly nerves about who was going to stop their Dad from knocking down the house without her around, but still.

"Okay... no panicking," Ruby nodded to herself and took a deep breath, "I'll go back out with Zwei and keep an eye on him. Thanks, Yang!" She then turned and left, Corgi in tow.

Yang glanced at Blake, who had a raised eyebrow. "You almost sounded responsible there," the Cat-Faunus noted.

"I _am_ responsible," Yang said indignantly, "I just... haven't shown it, yet. In all the time you've known me."

"Yes, it all makes sense now," Blake agreed, "Who knew your depths were so well hidden?"

"Pretty sure that's not how you're supposed to word that compliment..." Yang grumbled, "Seriously, though. Remember I told you our Dad's a bit crazy? Sending Zwei in the mail was pretty normal for him?"

"I remember."

"Well, he's really protective of us, and he really cares, but there's a lot of stuff he's just really bad at handling," Yang shook her head in memory of some of the more interesting moments, "So someone had to step in and be the responsible one when Uncle Qrow wasn't around," she admitted, "And after I nearly got us both killed, I kind of figured it had to be me, you know? So... I'm actually pretty used to being the voice of reason in our family."

Blake's eyes shone with amusement. "And I thought _my_ past was rough."

"Yeah," Yang snorted, "Being a terrorist has got nothing on looking after _those two_ full-time."

* * *

"So... does someone actually want to tell me _why_ Ruby has been staring non-stop at Zwei for the last hour?" the last member of their team asked in confusion as she observed Ruby, who was currently situated about a foot away from her dog and was fixing him with a quite impressive, unblinking stare.

"It doesn't work," Blake offered absently as she flicked over the page in her book, "No matter how hard you stare, he doesn't spontaneously combust. Uh," she paused as she seemed to realise she'd said that out loud, "Or so I've read."

"She took me a little _too_ literally when I told her to keep an eye on him," Yang ignored Blake's irrational hatred of their dog as she gave Weiss an explanation, "Apparently he was sick when she took him out."

Weiss froze. "S-sick?" She asked, in an odd tone.

"Yeah, he just threw up a little, so -" Yang blinked as she registered the empty space where Weiss used to be.

"Zwei! What's wrong, darling? Zwei, you need to speak to me! Is it terminal? I'll have the best Veterinarians money can buy! I'll get them all here _right now!_ " Weiss blabbered as she cradled the dog with one arm while operating her scroll in another. "Hello? Yes, it's Weiss, I need an emergency Veterinarian!" She scowled. "What do you mean the Schnee company doesn't _have_ an emergency Veterinarian? You get me one _right now_ or I'll have you _fired!_ "

Weiss' panic seemed to set Ruby off again, who started crying, too. Immediately, the pair were clutching each other in grief as they wailed over the rather confused-looking dog.

Yang palmed her forehead. "Two of them. Now there's _two_ of them. _Just like_ home. I can't believe I ever missed it – damn it Blake, _stop giving him a eulogy!_ "


End file.
